Just Peachy
by Cookiemonster999
Summary: Tony is too stubborn to tell anyone that he's sick, so what happens when the team comes face to face with a halfway to hell genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist? Drama ensues. this is my first fic, I know its not very good but I'm hoping to improve, feedback is appreciated.


"Umph." Tony groaned as he threw himself into the elevator of the newly destroyed Stark Tower. He glanced at himself in the surprisingly still intact mirror that was the wall of the steel lift. He realized his mistake almost immediately as he looked away when he felt a wave of nausea overcome him as its closeness to his face became apparent. He instead turned around and rested his sweating head against the cool glass.

The elevator began its ascent upwards and the billionaire stood there for what felt like hours praying for death to come. Okay, that may have been a little over dramatic considering that he would be fine as long as he got to his lab in time. He had to change out the depleted palladium core in his chest, you see after the battle that had ended mere hours ago he found that the arc reactor had nearly lost all of its power sending him into space and was in serious need of a recharge.

And unless he wanted the shrapnel to inch its way into his heart then he had to switch his current reactor out with a different one. This wouldn't have been a problem if Tony had created an extra one earlier on with the Starkanium core, but alas he hadn't, still reeling over the victory of creating the first one. Even though, in the process of making it he had destroyed half of his lab.

Either way, he knew his options were limited, he had to get to his lab to pop in another Palladium core so he could begin the process of creating the newer one, hopefully with the energy to create a new one.

When the doors peeled themselves open, agonizingly slowly, the renounced playboy stumbled out as he had on many booze filled nights before, except now he wasn't drunkenly floundering about and was instead struggling to stay upright as the heavy metal poisoning coursed its way through his veins like an icy cold feeling through his burning hot skin, which was not soothing in the slightest.

Granted however, the palladium shouldn't have been taking effect this fast as before it had taken weeks to reach a critical point. Tony suspected the reason for this surprisingly quick descent into hell was caused by a reaction of some sort with the several pain killers and glasses of scotch he had downed after the battle in order to take the edge off of his sore limbs from flying around in an almost 50 pound suit for nearly 24 hours.

Dammit, Tony thought as he made his way to his lab through the living room, which currently had the entire Avengers team sprawled out across his expensive furniture. He had forgotten they were here and really didn't feel like being called the idiot he knew he was for being so reckless so as not to create a backup reactor. Tony could only imagine what he looked like as he braced himself against the wall in an attempt to keep himself upright and pulled at his sweat soaked collar trying to restore some color to his ashen gray face. The billionaire couldn't remember feeling this bad since the first time he had moonshine back at MIT and woke up with a hangover so bad that Rhodey nearly drove him to the hospital. What a spectacle that would've been, the headlines reading _Tony Stark arrested for underage drinking._ If Tony ever got arrested, he wanted it to be because of something way cooler.

He took his hand off the wall in an attempt to walk past the team without arousing suspicion as to his less than impeccable appearance. However, he soon after realized that this attempt was futile as he pitched forward and only just managed to catch himself again by sticking a hand out to catch the wall.

Truthfully Tony just wanted to reach his lab no questions asked and pop in a new core until he could recreate the old one which wouldn't take very long since he had already programmed the process into Jarvis who would have it ready within a half hour. So, as Tony looked up ready to tell off anyone who got in the way of him and his lab, he was surprised to find the entire team engrossed in a sitcom on the flatscreen that he had set up in the living room after Pepper complained endlessly about what he had there before. She made it quite clear that she hated his pile of 'scrap metal' which tony insisted was modern art, to which she replied "Only you would call a pile of crushed up Iron Man suits art."

Tony thought he was home free and continued to make his way down to the lab relatively undetected. That is, until Jarvis thought it would be an appropriate time to intervene.

"Sir, are you in need of assistance?" he asked almost too innocently, alerting the team to his presence.

The team whipped around to face him not realizing that he had even been there and as Tony was glaring at the ceiling, silently vowing to reprogram Jarvis to be more useful, Thor spoke up,

"Man of Iron, are you not well?" He looked at Tony with concern, and for a moment Tony felt guilty for wanting to push past him, which quickly dissipated as he remembered his objective. The rest of the team was looking at him as though he was a ticking time bomb, and well, Tony supposes that in this case he kind of was. Now he knows how Banner feels.

"Just peachy." Tony exclaimed with a tight smile, as he attempts to make his way to his lab.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I have some very important work to attend to down in my lab so if I could just..." he gestured to where Thor was standing by the doorway.

"Stark, maybe you should take a seat, you don't look to good." Steve said nodding with his head to the couch.

"Thanks Cap, but no thanks, I've got plenty of seats in my lab and like I said, I'm fine." Tony said with a tone of finality. And as if on cue, the shot of iciness wrought his veins again and he shuddered, the edges of his vision going black. He hadn't realized he was swaying until he saw Natasha inching forward as if getting ready to catch him. He stilled himself quickly, and realizing the team wasn't going to let him go without an explanation and even then they may still pursue him.

Tony huffed, "It's nothing, just a little heavy metal poisoning." And then he winced realizing how not fine that sounded.

Bruce spoke up then, "That doesn't actually sound like nothing Tony, how did you get _heavy metal poisoning_?" Tony was really feeling like he could just plop down on the ground and go to sleep at this point.

"Well, you see Brucie..." he began, but surprisingly it was Natasha who cut him off this time, she had been silent throughout the whole exchange.

"It's from the reactor, the palladium core isn't compatible with the reactor in his chest." she said still analyzing him, "The question is, why are you using the palladium core when you have one that works just fine?"

At this point Tony could tell that if he didn't replace the core soon or sit down or do _something_ he was going to either lose his lunch all over Steves shoes or faint like a little girl.

This time, even more surprisingly, it was Clint who had something to say when Tony didn't answer, too busy keeping the room from spinning.

"Maybe he should sit down or something, I know its Banners thing, but looks like he's turning green." he remarked. Tony had never been so grateful for the archers sarcastic remarks. The team nodded in agreement as they made their way to the couch. The problem was that Tony didn't follow, he was rooted to the spot. He made to take a step forward but crumpled as he did so feeling very much like a useless noodle. Luckily Thor pitched forward and caught his head, likely saving him from a concussion.

The Avengers crowded around their fallen teammate as Tony gasped out "Jarvis!" while coughing raggedly.

"Already on it Sir." the Al responded as the creation of the new core commenced. "Captain Rogers, I suggest you move from where you're currently standing."

Confused, Steve did so only to find out why a few seconds later when Tony violently jerked to the left propping himself up on his elbow with his right hand steadying himself on the ground in front of his stomach and promptly threw up on the floor where Steve had been kneeling moments ago. After a few sickening moments the Avengers watched as their once bright and cheery friend as reduced to a dry heaving mess.

Tony felt a comforting slender hand on his burning back that he recognized to be that of Natasha's. When he was done Bruce then spurred into action, his doctorly skills coming into play.

"Clint go grab some warm water and a wash cloth from the kitchen and Steve help me move him onto the couch." All at once the trance was broken as everyone rushed to get their tasks done.

"What was that?" Bruce asked Tony.

"Call Dum-E, tell him to clean up...you know." Tony groaned out deliriously.

"Don't worry about that Tony, you just focus on getting better, what do you need?" Bruce replied.

"Mmm..thanks Mom," Tony replied sarcastically while Bruce rolled his eyes, secretly relieved at his friends ability to joke. "And I need a new core, they're in a silver box in my lab, Natashalie knows where." he said winking at her. Natasha copied Bruce rolling her eyes.

"Even on your death bed Stark." she said walking towards the lab.

"Hey I'm not dying!" Tony called after her.

"Yet." She called back earning an amused smile from Bruce and Steve.

Clint returned with a towel and a bowl of water, which he handed to Banner.

"So, whats the diagnosis Doc?" Clint asked.

"Well, lets see, he's an irresponsible, narcissistic asshole who enjoys making our lives miserable by not telling us that he was sick but other than that he should be good to go when Natasha gets back." Bruce said, and even Steve cracked a smile.

"Hey uh right here!" Tony said looking more miserable by the second.

"Hey Thor, do me a favor buddy, grab a bowl from the kitchen, the biggest one you can find." Bruce said to Thor, silently willing him to not make any loud exclamatory remarks as he listened intently to what Bruce told him to do.

"I shall return with your requested item friend Banner." Thor said in a surprisingly normal tone.

Bruce sighed in relief as he looked over the pale and slowly nodding off Tony who hadn't moved an inch. Natasha returned with the silver box looking slightly frustrated as she handed the box to Bruce.

"Something wrong?" Clint asked Natasha tentatively as opened the box while she sat down on the couch next to Clint with a huff.

"Nothing its nothing, Stark just needs to update his security system to accommodate me, he locked me out of his lab after I stopped working for him. It took me forever to bypass the mainframe so I could actually get into the lab." Natasha said, her expression softening slightly as she took in the sight of her former 'boss'.

"You worked for Stark?" Steve asked with an eyebrow raised.

"I was undercover for SHIELD and I got assigned to assess Iron Man and whether or not he was suitable to work for us." She replied, guessing his next question before he asked it.

"And you actually deemed him acceptable?" Steve said, his eyebrows going even higher on his forehead.

"Iron Man, yes, Tony Stark, no chance in hell." Natasha replied coolly.

"Ha." Clint said with a smirk.

Steve made a contemplative face and then nodded, "Yep seems about right."

"Aww and here I thought we were bonding Capsicle!" said subject at hand exclaimed, startling both Steve and Bruce as they both thought he was out cold.

"And wipe that smirk off your face Katniss, or you can say goodbye to your newest set of exploding arrows."

By the look of him, he should be out cold, Steve thought.

Just then, Thor returned with the large bowl that Bruce had requested. Unfortunately, he did not possess the same quiet tone that he had left the room with.

"I have returned with the large bowl that you requested good doctor." Thor boomed, they could practically hear Tonys skull splitting in half as he groaned loudly, clutching his temples.

"Yep, got it Hammer Time." Tony replied sarcastically, turning even more pale, if that was possible. "Whats taking so long Brucie? Forget how to open boxes?" he asked the doctor.

"No," Banner replied as he finally eased the box open, realizing the compressed air on the inside that kept the palladium at a certain temperature was the reason for his difficulty opening the box. "I've got it."

" 'Bout time, I can feel the grass growing." replied Tony becoming grouchier by the second.

"May I be of any more assistance?" Thor boomed, once again disturbing the haze that had overtaken Tonys world.

"Yeah, why don't you speak a little louder, can't really hear you." Tony remarked sarcastically before realizing his sorely made mistake.

"My apologies Man of Iron, it seems that your ailment has made your hearing ill as well, I shall speak louder from this moment forth for your benefit, friend Stark." Thor said at twice the volume as before.

Clint snickered while Natasha rubbed her temples. Bruce shook his head and Steve looked confused as he too didn't quite pickup on Tony's attempt at using sarcasm on the God. Tony simply grabbed a pillow from his side and threw it over his face. At the same time he reached underneath his shirt and pulled the arc reactor from its place in his chest, handing it to a waiting .

The team looked at the glowing blue chest piece, slightly mesmerized that something like that could be inside of someone. Bruce quickly removed the smoking core, not entirely sure how long tony could last with it out of his chest.

"How are you doing there Tony?" Banner asked wanting to make sure the man was still functioning as he carefully lowered the new piece into the chamber, hoping he did it correctly.

"Oh I'm just peachy Banner, thanks for asking." he replied, sarcasm once again weaving its way into his speech pattern.

Bruce handed the reactor back to Tony carefully, who with blatant disregard to any care that Bruce may have inflicted on the chest piece slammed it back into his chest. He sat back up, not expecting the violent head rush that followed as all of his symptoms came flooding back in as if saying goodbye to his previously invaded health one last time.

Tony for the second time that hour barely had time to warn Bruce before the large bowl that Thor had retrieved was shoved under his chin as he once again lost whatever was left of his lunch, which consisted of coffee, scotch, and pain killers.

"Oh yeah," Clint said, "Just peachy huh?"


End file.
